Film Review
For his third film, Roger Vadim once again cast his then wife Brigitte Bardot in the lead
role of a sumptuously shot drama. After their collaboration on
Et Dieu... créa la femme (1956),
Bardot had become an international film star and sex goddess, and most of her subsequent
films would make huge capital from her beauty and obvious sex appeal. In
Les
Bijoutiers du clair de lune, Bardot seems to spend most of the film in revealing
underwear - something which may have helped ticket sales, but it doesn't add much to the
credibility of the film.
Les Bijoutiers du clair de lune is very
typical of Roger Vadim. If the art of cinema lay solely in a film's look, then this
would be a veritable masterpiece. The cinematography is exquisitely beautiful, capturing
the magnificent splendour of the Spanish location and giving the film the feel of a full-blooded
western adventure. Unfortunately, the film falls down in virtually every respect.
Combine a third rate script with some ludicrously unsubtle acting, add an inappropriately
bombastic musical score, remove any serious attempt at humour and irony, and what you
get is
Les Bijoutiers du clair de lune.
Although the script is largely to blame, Bardot's performance lacks any real feeling and
is painfully over-the-top in a few places, although working with Stephen Boyd, an actor
apparently composed entirely from wood, could explain that. Although the film is
pretty to look at, its lack of a credible storyline and any emotional depth make it a
painfully drawn out viewing experience.
© James Travers 2006
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Next Roger Vadim film:
Les Liaisons dangereuses (1959)
Film Synopsis
Having just completed her studies in a convent, Ursula decides to visit her aunt Florentine
in Spain. When she arrives, a young mechanic, Lambert, attacks her uncle, Ribera,
accusing him of driving his sister to suicide. Ursula discovers that Lambert is
Florentine's secret lover but ends up herself by falling in love with him. One evening,
Lambert kills Ribera whilst waiting for his mistress. To avoid being hung, Lambert
expects Florentine to supply him with an alibi. Aware that Lambert no longer loves
her, Florentine refuses and instead intends to see him executed for the murder of her
husband. Ursula and Lambert go on the run, pursued by the Spanish police...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.